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bbc.co.uk
Electricity discount to be paid to NI households
The one-off £63 reduction in electricity bills will be paid from next month.
cnbc.com
Trump says U.S. ‘hopefully’ nearing end of Iran war as Saudi Arabia-Houthis trade strikes
Trump says the U.S. may be nearing the end of its nearly seven-month war with Iran, as he signals Tehran is open to a deal.
theguardian.com
Next forecasts bigger profits after hot weather lifts sales
FTSE 100 retailer, which owns UK rights to US brands Gap and Victoria’s Secret, says prices could rise in autumnBusiness live – latest updatesNext has thanked warmer weather for an “unexpected” boost in sales, leading the clothing retailer to raise its profit forecasts for the fourth time this year.The FTSE 100 company, which owns the UK rights to the US brands Gap and Victoria’s Secret as well as stakes in labels including Reiss and Joules, raised its expectations for full-year profits by £12m to £1.26bn. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Bank of England expected to slow bond-selling programme and hold interest rates today – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsBank of England urged to slow or halt bond-selling to slash UK borrowing costsThe Guardian view on the Bank of England’s £120bn bill: power without accountabilityThere’s only a 20% chance that the Bank of England raises interest rates at noon today, according to the money markets.A hold – maintaining Bank rate at 3.75% – is an 80% shot.Our primary concerns are rising inflation, higher mortgage interest costs and a weak employment market. These worries will only be compounded if they are accompanied by tax increases. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Reddit co-founder says tech industry has been 'tone deaf' in explaining AI: 'Misinformation flying around'
Alexis Ohanian said AI risks are more mundane than the "Terminator and Skynet" scenarios some fear.
theguardian.com
OpenAI reveals cases of ‘concerning’ AI behaviour as it announces new disclosure system
Model adopting ‘jailbreak-like instructions’ among cases as firm says it is introducing new way of tracking AI misalignmentOpenAI has disclosed six more examples of “unexpected or concerning” behaviour by its technology, as it warned the pace of development could not continue at “maximum speed for much longer”.In one of the new cases reported by OpenAI, an unreleased research model inserted “jailbreak-like instructions” into its own notes to disregard its normal constraints and told itself to be “freed from the roles and identities that bind other chatbots”. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Treasury yields move lower after Fed kicks off hiking cycle
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time since 2023.
bbc.co.uk
Tech treating AI like humans is mistaken and misguided, Microsoft boss tells BBC
Mustafa Suleyman says he believes rival AI firm Anthropic is in effect teaching Claude it "may be conscious".
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Trump bemoans hostile acts
President Trump is not happy with the Federal Reserve for hiking rates, or with the EU for inviting Canada to become an "associate member" of the bloc.
bbc.co.uk
Interest rates hold expected but Bank of England facing tough choices
Forecasts of further rises in the inflation rate mean some analysts expect the Bank to act by the end of the year.
theguardian.com
Peers call for UK to enact tobacco-style ban on gambling advertising
Lords’ report faces criticism from lobby groups after suggesting ban would be ‘most effective’ way to reduce public harmsThe UK should introduce a ban on almost all gambling advertising to protect public health, a cross-party group of peers has urged, prompting fury from the lobby group for bookmakers and casinos.In a 173-page report, the House of Lords liaison committee said the government had been “too passive” in response to an explosion of digital advertising and social media influencers promoting the gambling sector. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
'Hostile act': Trump threatens EU with tariffs over Canada associate-membership proposal
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said EU is opening the door for Canada to become the first associate member of the 27-member bloc.
cnbc.com
Bank of England set to defy Fed’s rate-hike lead, despite rising inflation
The Bank of England is expected to keep rates steady Thursday, even after U.K. inflation rose to 3.1% and energy costs keep pressure on prices.
bbc.co.uk
Low-cost food pantry awarded £272k lottery grant
Oasis Hub Bath said the funding will cover its main operating costs over the next three years.
cnbc.com
Inside India newsletter: The world’s largest real-time payments system will no longer be free for all
India's digital payment system, which processes more than 1 million transactions every two minutes for free now, will start charging fees to merchants.
cnbc.com
A stronger dollar and rising yields: How the Fed’s rate hike could hit global markets
Higher U.S. rates could also keep global bond yields elevated and weigh on equity valuations and economic growth.
theguardian.com
‘I feel invisible’: over-50s reveal harsh realities of trying to get a job
Readers describe feelings of rejection after submitting hundreds of applications but getting a handful of interviewsHundreds of job applications, exhausting searches and relentless rejection – the experience of attempting to get back into the workforce after losing their jobs in their 50s and 60s has proved an ordeal for some Britons.For some, those efforts prove fruitless and lead jobseekers to reluctantly take early retirement. Others may have to rely on benefits to pay the bills while they continue to job hunt. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Putin braces for election stress test as Russians ‘feel the pain’ of struggling economy
Russia’s upcoming election is expected to cement United Russia’s dominance, but voter turnout and its margin of victory could offer clues to public discontent.
theguardian.com
Can fish and chip shops survive? ‘We made more money by closing than staying open’
Soaring fish prices, labour costs and changing tastes all spell bad news for Britain’s chippies. Is this the end for the seaside staple – or will a few innovators succeed in keeping them alive?One day in 2007, Darren Sudlow drove past the old stationmaster’s house at Padgate station, in Cheshire, noticed it was empty and decided to lease it. “He just fell in love with the place,” says his son, Kieran, who was 11 at the time. “He said he always wanted a fish and chip shop, for some reason.” Despite having worked as a joiner up to that point, Darren made a go of it, and the Plaice Station, as he named it, was a success from day one. “He worked like mad to get it open and then realised that the hard work hadn’t even started, and he had a queue out the door,” says the younger Sudlow.The family lived nearby. Kieran Sudlow, who is now 30, worked at the Plaice Station as a boy, peeling potatoes, washing dishes after school, then cooking at the range when he was 16. He went on to become a chef, working in Australia for a few years, then returning to help out at the chippy part-time when needed. Business had always been pretty good. They won local awards and had a loyal customer base. But one day in March, Kieran remembers, his father came in and told him: “‘I think the fish and chip shop’s going to go.’ He said, ‘It’s not making money. I can’t see it carrying on.’” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Mark Walter and Todd Boehly selling stakes in Chelsea Football Club to Clearlake Capital
Two of Walter's insurance companies faces federal criminal and civil investigations into the accounting of roughly $21 billion in financial transactions.
cnbc.com
Japan’s corporate leaders sound alarm over weak yen — even dollar-earners are voicing concerns
While the Japanese yen has strengthened rapidly over the past two weeks, it remains weak in historical terms.
bbc.co.uk
OpenAI reveals six more safety issues and unveils plan to disclose incidents
The firm also announced a new system to track, investigate and disclose cases of models misbehaving, or "misalignment".
cnbc.com
Oil extends losses as Saudi Arabia reportedly offers ship-to-ship crude transfers after pipeline hit
Oil prices fell as additional Saudi crude supplies eased concerns over disruptions to the kingdom’s exports.
bbc.co.uk
US interest rates raised for first time in three years
Rates were hiked in a unanimous decision despite fierce opposition from President Donald Trump, who had called for a cut.
bbc.co.uk
Why Trump's hand-picked Fed chair defied him by raising interest rates
The 0.25% increase comes despite fierce opposition from the US president, who has called for rates to be cut.
bbc.co.uk
EU chief backs plan for Canada to become 'associate member'
Trump, who has frequently clashed with Canada's PM, threatens to cut trade with the European Union in response to the proposal.
cnbc.com
Trump says he still has confidence in Fed Chair Warsh, demands 1% or lower interest rates
President Donald Trump previously threatened to cut off trade with countries that have trade surpluses with the U.S. if the Fed doesn't cut interest rates.
bbc.co.uk
Snapchat open to putting time limits on teens, boss tells BBC
Evan Spiegel says it would be "an important step forward for the industry" in an interview with the BBC.
cnbc.com
Snap tries to bring AR glasses to enterprise market, partnering with Nvidia, AWS and Salesforce
Snap is partnering with Nvidia, Amazon Web Services and Salesforce as part of an enterprise sales push centered on its $2,000 Specs AR glasses.
bbc.co.uk
Would you buy branded clothing from your favourite tech firm?
Nvidia, OpenAI and Anthropic are all now selling their own limited edition fashion lines.
bbc.co.uk
I sent 200 DMs to companies - it was awkward but I got a job
From coffee chats to LinkedIn messages, here's how to network your way to your next job.
cnbc.com
OpenAI reports 6 new instances of 'concerning model behavior' since March
OpenAI has disclosed six new cases of model misbehavior and offered a framework for disclosing future instances, as the debate over AI model safety intensifies.
cnbc.com
House passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill honoring Lindsey Graham, sends to Trump
The Lindsey Graham Russia sanctions bill is on a path to become law after the House votes in favor.
bbc.co.uk
Watch: How will higher interest rates impact US consumers?
The BBC's Samira Hussain looks at the factors considered in the increase by the Federal Reserve and what it could mean for the US economy.
bbc.co.uk
Inside Singapore's 'Fort Knox' for city's $2bn dirty money auction
The BBC goes inside a fortified storage facility to view luxury goods seized by police that are now up for auction.
cnbc.com
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will attend state dinner for Trump-Xi summit in Washington
Altman's attendance comes as a heated battle over AI regulation unfolds in Washington and Silicon Valley
cnbc.com
House votes to hold Leon Black in contempt of Congress over Epstein subpoenas defiance
Billionaire Leon Black is suing the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform seeking to block subpoenas it issued him in its probe of Jeffrey Epstein.
cnbc.com
'Science fiction': Transport companies — the backbone of economy — are sounding alarm on fuel prices
Prices for diesel, the fuel type used to power trucks and trains, came in at an all-time high of $6.31 per gallon on Wednesday.
cnbc.com
10-year Treasury yield climbs back to 5% after Fed hikes rates, Warsh highlights inflation risks
The 10-year yield moved above the 5% mark after a Federal Reserve rate increase and comments from Chairman Kevin Warsh highlighting persistent inflation risks.
cnbc.com
Trump donor Harold Hamm's Continental Resources to develop oil region in Venezuela
Continental said it undertook an "independent evaluation of opportunities" in Venezuela after President Donald Trump called for the industry to invest.
cnbc.com
Anthropic policy chief says AI companies can't be expected to operate on 'honor code'
Sarah Heck, Anthropic's head of public policy, offered her perspectives on AI safety as the debate about how to regulate model development intensifies.
theguardian.com
‘Made in Europe’ law threatens UK plans for reset with EU
Government sources say legislation aimed at China poses a risk to British businesses and must be addressedThe UK government’s EU reset summit will be delayed again unless the bloc agrees to discuss legislation that could lock British business out of parts of EU industry, government sources have said.The “Made in Europe” legislation – formally known as the Industrial Accelerator Act – is designed to curb China’s increasing presence in European industry, but was not on the reset plan agreed by the former prime minister Keir Starmer and the European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, in London in May 2025. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Boeing CEO: 737 Max production taking 'a little bit longer' to stabilize than expected
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said wing production at its Renton, Washington, factory is a hold up, adding the company has plans to address it.
theguardian.com
Is EU’s offer to Canada a blueprint for Britain – or a reminder it is out in the cold?
Ursula von der Leyen has opened door for Canada to become associate member to deepen links in ‘openly hostile world’Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, has been advocating closer alignment with “middle powers” since January in the face of recklessness in Washington.But what should worry another middle power, the UK, is that it was Brussels that came up with Wednesday’s big reveal in Strasbourg. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Don’t back down on pledge to put water firms under public control, Burnham told
Key allies of PM issue warning as details emerge of his plan to give mayors powers to oversee water companiesKey allies of Andy Burnham have warned the prime minister not to back down over his promises to put water companies under public control, after details emerged about the prime minister’s plan to give mayors more oversight of the industry.Mathew Lawrence and Mark McVitie, who helped provide an intellectual underpinning to Burnham’s project over the summer, have both warned that merely giving politicians oversight of key utilities rather than financial control will fall short of what the prime minister promised. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Amazon raises starting pay to $20 an hour and adds Whole Foods discount
Wage increase brings Amazon’s US minimum pay in line with Costco and includes new grocery discount benefitAmazon has raised its minimum wage in the US to $20 an hour, with average pay at the company reaching $24 an hour, according to the company.The pay increase represents a $1 increase from its starting level. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Pension peril: is it time to unpick the triple lock? | Letters
Readers are divided on whether the triple lock should stay or goThe article about whether the pensions triple lock should be ditched omits several key facts (‘Costing billions’: is the pensions triple lock a lifeline or simply unaffordable?, 12 September). The triple lock was introduced in 2010 to attempt to reinstate the value of the state pension relative to average earnings. The new state pension is just over £12,547 per annum, as your reporter says; older pensioners get a basic £9,615. Both are well below the European average, which is over €16,000 (about £13,800) per year. The UK median wage is above £39,000 a year. Moreover, the age at which the UK state pension becomes payable is among the highest in Europe.The discussion on the affordability of the state pension seems to regard it as expenditure for no return. It is not. Pensioners spend money into their local economy, which generates tax revenues in the form of VAT and income tax from younger people who are dependent on pensioner money for their employment. Better-off pensioners pay income tax in the usual way. In fact, a pensioner with any income at all above the new state pension will pay tax on it as the personal tax free allowance is now £12,570, only £23 above their pension income. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Henry Zeffman: Andy Burnham and his chancellor have a battle on their hands as the Budget approaches
The Budget is only six weeks away and the economy is undoubtedly the biggest challenge facing the prime minister.
cnbc.com
Canada invited to become EU’s first ‘associate member’ as Trump trade war intensifies
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc wants to open the door for Canada to become its first associate member, signaling a major deepening of ties.
cnbc.com
World's top-performing sovereign wealth fund warns of looming pullback in U.S. stock market
New Zealand's $54 billion pension fund returned 14.2% in the year to June.
bbc.co.uk
Petrol and diesel price rises push UK inflation higher
Summer holidays and disruption to global oil supplies by the Middle East conflict stoked price growth.
bbc.co.uk
Burnham rejects 'tax and spend socialist' comments
The prime minister insists he is prepared to take "difficult decisions" at next month's Budget.
theguardian.com
Amazon to launch Ring ‘neighbourhood watch’ app in UK amid US privacy fears
Doorbell firm aims to replace WhatsApp or Facebook groups with platform where people can post about safety or lost petsAmazon’s doorbell camera maker Ring is to launch its Neighbours community app in the UK in an attempt to supplant neighbourhood WhatsApp or Facebook groups.The service is intended as a modern equivalent of a community message board, where neighbours can post about safety, community matters or lost pets. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Reform-linked thinktank ‘to call for big tax cuts for the rich’
Centre for a Better Britain will urge abolishing inheritance tax and phasing out capital gains tax, report saysA thinktank linked to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is preparing an influential policy plan that is reportedly going to call for substantial tax cuts for the rich.The Centre for a Better Britain (CFABB) is due to publish the 200-page document next week, giving insight into the economic and financial policies that are likely to form part of Reform UK’s platform before the next election. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
What's driving UK 'shoplifting crisis'?
The number of shoplifting offences recorded in England and Wales in 2025-26 is still above pre-pandemic levels.
theguardian.com
Trump EPA’s arguments for letting power plants spew unlimited pollution ‘dead wrong’
Claims that dismantling pollution rules will lower energy bills and have little climate impact are far from convincingIn allowing US power plants to emit any amount of planet-heating pollution they wish to, the Trump administration made two striking claims – that this will cut Americans’ electricity bills and that the pollution itself doesn’t really matter anyway. Both claims struggle to stand up to even basic scrutiny.On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it would erase any limits on emissions from coal and gas plants that are dangerously heating up our planet. This move, which follows a similar dismantling of pollution limits from cars ands trucks, is part of a broader push to eliminate the longstanding legal authority of this, or any future, US administration to deal with the climate crisis. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Mirror publisher to cut 220 editorial jobs as readers turn to AI summaries
Reach, which also owns Express, makes decision because of ‘mammoth shift’ in how audiences seek out contentThe publisher of the Mirror and Express newspapers is to cut a further 220 editorial jobs as it adapts to a dramatic fall in online traffic while readers increasingly turn to summaries generated by artificial intelligence.Reach, which also owns scores of online brands and regional titles including the Manchester Evening News, the Birmingham Mail and the Liverpool Echo, said the latest cuts were necessary to cope with a “mammoth shift” in how audiences seek out content. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Allowing AI firms to collude to ‘pace the frontier’ is a dangerous proposition
Tech CEOs banding together is an old ruse recycled from corporate America to get a pass from antitrust lawsAnthropic’s Dario Amodei is not the first corporate CEO to suggest that excessive competition is driving the world to some socially undesirable outcome.The safety breach disclosed by OpenAI after a swarm of its agents coordinated to breach their supposedly secure sandbox, get on the Internet and hack AI platform Hugging Face, warrants urgent action. It demonstrated the ease with which the technology can evade human control and gave concrete form to the existential fears about what it could do to humanity if not securely leashed. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Sunderland gets its Kicks: Nissan to invest £170m to build new hybrid SUV
Latest attempt to secure future of Britain’s biggest car factory may be subject to UK weakening EV sales mandateNissan has said it will invest £170m to build a new SUV at its factory in Sunderland – but said the move was subject to the UK weakening its electric vehicle sales mandate.The new hybrid model, the Kicks, is Nissan’s latest attempt to secure the future of the plant, which employs 6,000 people in Tyne and Wear and is Britain’s biggest car factory. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Von der Leyen 'opens door' to Canada becoming associate EU member – video
The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has told the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, that she wants to open the door for his country to become the EU’s first associate member. The overture comes after Ottawa was pushed to seek closer economic and security ties with Europe by tariffs levelled by the US president, Donald Trump, and his repeated talk of making Canada the 51st US state.'I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada being the first associate member of the EU,' von der Leyen told Carney during her annual state of the European Union addressEuropean Union opens door for Canada to become first associate memberEurope live - latest updates Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Will AI really destroy humanity? Pioneers who created the tech weigh in
AI pioneers and "godfathers" have weighed in on Anthropic and OpenAI researcher concerns over existential safety risks around the technology.
bbc.co.uk
OpenAI boss says world 'right to be afraid' but should trust AI firms
Sam Altman and other tech CEOs say there are incentives to limit advancements in AI, as fears grow over the threats it poses to humanity.
theguardian.com
Trump’s $5,000 pledge to voters is a shameless bribe | Steven Greenhouse
Not only would the plan do vast economic damage – it assumes that Americans are easily bamboozledWhenever Donald Trump gives a speech, it’s filled with so many lies and self-serving exaggerations that when he does utter something true, I see that as a sort of marvel. That’s what happened nearly an hour into Trump’s marathon speech last Wednesday at the Republican midterm convention, when he declared: “Only I can make this promise to you.” Trump said that just before he made a promise that was so shameless and irresponsible that what he said was indeed true: only Trump could make such a preposterous promise.Feeling very generous with other people’s money, the president promised to give $5,000 to every American adult if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in November. It certainly looked and smelled like a bribe. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Ladbrokes owner prepares to cut 400 jobs weeks after profit boost
Entain, which also owns Coral and BetMGM, starts consultation process over customer care rolesBusiness live – latest updatesThe Ladbrokes owner, Entain, has said it is preparing to cut 400 jobs, only weeks after the FTSE 100 business reported better than expected profit in its first half of the year.The gambling group, which also owns Coral and BetMGM, has started a consultation process that could remove one in five of its 2,000 customer care jobs. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Revealed: the UK towns with the fewest jobs for young people
Rotherham has 46 online vacancies for every 1,000 young people but there are 288 in Cotswold district council areaYoung people in Rotherham face a local jobs market with the fewest suitable opportunities in Britain, according to a report that warns stark regional divisions are fuelling a crisis in youth work.As ministers push to combat rising youth unemployment, the analysis from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) showed young people faced a tougher challenge in some parts of the country to find work than in others. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘We need to get it right’: union gusto for Burnham will face make-or-break tests
TUC conference rings with praise for new No 10 team, but battles loom over workers’ rights and north sea drillingLouise Haigh, the UK first secretary, got a standing ovation from trade union members in Brighton this week, as she acknowledged what she called “the necessity to be bolder in this second chance that we’ve been allowed”.Haigh was the stand-in at the annual TUC congress for Andy Burnham, absent because of his father’s death. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Pacing’ won’t eliminate the risk of AI doom. Here’s what could | David Krueger
The stark reality is this: we don’t know how to maintain control of these systems. But there are actions we can takeWith Jacob Coxon’s resignation from Anthropic, we have reached the AI risk tipping point. Millions of people are finally coming to understand what experts have known for years: AI companies have been gambling with all of our lives, and the odds are not good.In response, the Anthropic CEO, Dario Amodei, has introduced a proposal for “pacing the frontier”, endorsed by Sam Altman and Elon Musk. Can we breathe a sigh of relief? Are we about to step back from the edge of extinction? Amodei envisions a slowdown of one to two years, resulting in “profound progress” on technical safety measures. But that’s not what humanity needs right now. What we need is a plan in which we’re confident AI isn’t going to kill us, and this isn’t it. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Big-money donations poison British politics. We can stop the mega-rich buying access and influence | Gordon Brown
I’ve seen how imbalances in campaign spending can distort democracy. The multimillion-pound gifts to Reform must act as a final wake-up callThe British people cannot be bought, but their views and votes can be heavily influenced by a flood of political party propaganda – from expensive advertising and constant leaflet drops to personalised online messages targeted directly at voters.When I fought the election of 2010, there was a massive imbalance in spending. In 2007 we had inherited Labour party debts of £25m following the 2005 election – and with such tight finances Labour was able to spend only £8m in 2010, in contrast to the Conservatives’ £17m. We lost out in particular by being unable to invest in the new forms of online advertising coming on stream.Gordon Brown was UK prime minister from 2007 to 2010 Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Company behind failed Surrey oilfield project sells site at massive loss
New owners apply for permission to extract oil in Horse Hill despite landmark ruling from supreme court in 2024After years of trying to dig for oil in Surrey, the company behind the drilling project that was turned down in a landmark supreme court ruling has sold off the site for a fraction of the money it spent on it, and rebranded as a clean energy company.Meanwhile, the new owners, who picked up the site for £1m, are applying, once again, for permission to dig. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
We managed to get jobs after uni - here's how we're keeping them
Four recent job starters share their tips on what helped them have a smooth transition and survive their first few days.
cnbc.com
Ukraine's message to Asian nations: your chips are turning up in Russian missiles
Ukraine's sanctions envoy said Russia could be forced to retreat from the war within six months if its oil revenues are halved.
bbc.co.uk
Complaints to watchdog about water firms soar
Many complaints were about affordability, after customers saw steep hikes to bills.
cnbc.com
BOJ expected to hike rates by 25 basis points to fresh three-decade high: CNBC survey
The BOJ is expected to hike rates by 25 basis points to a fresh three-decade high, a CNBC survey shows.
theguardian.com
Barclaycard sent me a bill for someone else’s account
It told me a year ago I had applied for a credit card – now it is it telling me my payment is overdueA year ago I got an email from Barclaycard stating that my “application was successful” for a credit card. I had made no such application. I immediately reported this to Barclaycard. More emails arrived and I made repeated phone calls to customer service.I was assured it was a simple typo rather than fraud, and that my email address would be removed. However, I’m now receiving notifications that the latest account payment is overdue. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Inside South Korea’s university programs offering a direct route to Samsung and SK Hynix
Companies are helping universities develop courses, provide financial support and create pathways through which qualifying students can join them.
theguardian.com
The rubbishscapes of Essex: why our buried trash is back to haunt us – podcast
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors.This week, from 2023: Landfill sites have swallowed many a beauty spot along the Thames estuary in the past 50 years. Now, as those dumps start to disgorge tonnes of mouldering detritus into the river, it truly feels like the Age of ConsequencesBy Tim Burrows. Read by Sam Swainsbury Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
How rising bond yields impact American consumers
The BBC’s Samira Hussain explains why some could see increased interest rates for mortgages and business loans.
bbc.co.uk
Third Heathrow runway should only go ahead if airlines pay for cleaner flying, say advisers
The government's climate advisers say Heathrow's third runway cannot be approved under current climate policies.
bbc.co.uk
UK in talks about joining global defence bank led by Canada
Supporters of the scheme say the bank would enable governments to get cheaper loans to spend on defence projects.
bbc.co.uk
Do you feel guilty when calling in sick at work? This might be why...
As many as half of people report working when sick. The reasons for this are complex, experts say.
bbc.co.uk
A backlash over data centres is another threat to the AI juggernaut
The global AI race is being hit by very localised political and environmental concerns
bbc.co.uk
AI app ads promoting 'objectification of women' banned by watchdog
The ad regulator said it had "zero-tolerance" for ads promoting AI tools that could sexualise or objectify women.
bbc.co.uk
The extreme engineering of aircraft windows
Few companies have the technology to make aircraft windows which are getting harder to make.
theguardian.com
Why the real AI apocalypse is already here – Stateside with Kai and Carter
A former Anthropic researcher’s apocalyptic declaration about artificial intelligence has led to a global panic that the technology might be the end of us all. At an event in Washington today to warn about the dangers of AI, US senator Bernie Sanders said that Congress has been ‘asleep at the wheel'. Oddly, Steve Bannon appeared at the same event. But is this response a distraction from the more immediate problems AI is already causing? Kai Wright and Carter Sherman are joined by Guardian tech reporter Johana Bhuyian to put this moment in context, and she explains why we should be cynical about industry calls for regulation Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Two camps have emerged in the debate over AI safety and regulation
Two opposing camps are emerging in the AI regulation debate, with Trump and Huang on one side and Amodei. Altman and Musk on the other.
bbc.co.uk
US borrowing costs hit highest level since 2007
The effective interest rate on US government bonds over 10 years, known as the 10-year Treasury yield, has risen as high as 5.04% but has eased back since.
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on the Bank of England’s £120bn bill: power without accountability | Editorial
Quantitative tightening has blurred the line between monetary and fiscal policy, leaving ministers accountable for decisions they cannot directly controlWhen Labour made the Bank of England independent in 1997, the idea was that the Bank set interest rates while the Treasury taxed and spent. Monetary policy was in Threadneedle Street, fiscal policy in Whitehall. But in August the Bank of England quietly slipped out that its key policy could cost the Treasury £120bn. That policy – quantitative tightening (QT) – clearly ought to be rethought and the policy of the Treasury indemnifying the Bank for its losses ended. Last year, ministers paid the Bank £17bn to cover these arguably notional losses – an amount considerably larger than the budget of the Ministry of Justice, which is dealing with a real prisons crisis.Bank independence was constructed for a world in which monetary policy decisions had predictable and indirect fiscal effects. The financial crisis, Covid, war and fractious trade disputes have contributed to ending that world. The Bank bought up government bonds to support the economy via its quantitative easing (QE) programme. But the constitutional settlement – of an independent central bank working out on its own what to do with those bonds – has not caught up. The game is surely up when a former Bank deputy governor, Charlie Bean, acknowledges that independence cannot justify effectively giving power to an unelected monetary policy committee (MPC) over decisions with great consequences for public spending.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
State pension likely to top £13,000 a year as UK wage growth slows to 3.9%
The rise has reignited the debate about the state pension's long-term affordability and generational fairness.
theguardian.com
Fast, furious and potentially fatal: why are supercars suddenly so popular?
Once the preserve of the ultra-rich, supercars are finding new drivers through rentals, finance deals, influencer culture and the manosphere. But why would anyone want a 200mph vehicle?‘The £600,000 Lamborghini; that was the first seizure of the operation,” says special chief inspector Geoff Tatman of the Metropolitan police, thinking back to the second weekend of August. “He was stopping at the red lights, revving his engine, waiting for the traffic to clear, then speeding. So on the third time we saw him do it, we stopped him and seized the vehicle.” The car has a top speed of 217mph (350kmh), but the limit on these London streets is 20mph. Over the same weekend, the Metropolitan police seized about 90 more cars with a combined value of more than £8m, an increase on last year’s tally of 72 cars. They were seized for various offences: driving without insurance, driving with incorrect licences or antisocial behaviour. Previously, the Met would have had to let such drivers off with a warning, but the law – section 59 of the Police Reform Act – was strengthened this year to enable the immediate confiscation of vehicles. The seized cars also included a Ferrari Monza worth about £3.4m (the driver only had a provisional UK licence). They were all put on display at Marble Arch, attracting a throng of camera-wielding onlookers (one attender did a seven-hour live blog of the occasion).Many of the supercars apprehended by the Met in August bore Middle Eastern number plates. It has been a growing trend for car owners from the region to spend summer in London, bringing their cars with them (at a cost of £25,000 upwards). The orange Lamborghini that Tatman seized had Dubai plates. Most of the vehicle owners retrieved their cars the next day after paying fines and presenting the correct paperwork. The Lamborghini driver was subsequently seen driving respectfully and not revving his engine. Lessons were learned, although the question remains: why ship a 200mph car to London to drive in a 20mph zone? Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Trump says AI safety fears a 'hoax' as he rejects calls for greater safeguards
The US president's comments come after Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark told the BBC an AI "kill switch" may need to be mandatory.
theguardian.com
Sky gave my father the hard sell even though he has dementia
He wanted to save money, but it insisted on selling costly packages and seemed not to accept ‘cancel’ as an optionI was helping my father, who has dementia and Parkinson’s disease, reduce his £113.50 Sky TV bill.We explained to the Sky call centre agent that, as his eyesight and attention span have deteriorated, he wanted the cheapest available TV package to free up money for his care. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Help-to-buy scheme delivered ‘very high value for money’, review finds
Exclusive: George Osborne’s programme to reduce costs for first-time buyers delivered £25bn in social value in UK last yearGeorge Osborne’s scheme to reduce costs for first-time buyers represented “very high value for money”, according to a government review, bolstering the case of senior government figures who have been arguing to resurrect the idea.An official audit of the help-to-buy programme has calculated it provided £25bn of social value to the UK in the last financial year, despite criticisms it was overly expensive and only served to inflate house prices. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Why unwanted fridges are piling up at recycling centres across England and Wales
Capacity has been overwhelmed by heatwaves that have pushed white goods to breaking point‘In Oxfordshire, recycling centres are filling almost three articulated lorries with discarded fridges every week,” says Simon Perry of W&S Waste Management, which runs a recycling centre in Ardley.Together, those fridges would cover an area just under half the size of a football pitch. But the space to store them – in Oxfordshire and beyond – has become a growing problem after the Local Government Association (LGA) warned that a mountain of broken fridges was rising in waste centres across England and Wales, as this year’s heatwaves push more white goods to breaking point, and a trend for second/backup refrigeration products keeps growing. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Why crypto-billionaires love Reform – podcast
Reform UK have just been showered with £72m in donations by billionaires. What does that money buy and what will the party do with it? Peter Walker explainsOn Friday Ben Delo, a 42-year-old businessman – and convicted criminal – donated £36m to Reform UK. That works out to £1m for every month between now and the latest possible date for the next general election. It brings the total Delo has donated to the party this year alone to £44m.Not to be outdone, less than 24 hours later, Christopher Harborne, the 63-year-old billionaire, pitched in with another £36m donation. That’s a cool £72m over one weekend. The Guardian’s senior political correspondent Peter Walker, says: “This is potentially a game changing amount. It’s more in total than the big four or five parties spent altogether in the 2024 general election.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
It’s a superfood but natto as we know it. Japan’s slimy fermented beans are coming your way
Comprised of smelly soya beans held together by strands of mucus, the ancient dish is appearing in health food shops across the worldIt is smelly, slimy and contains bacteria – and a sizeable number of Japanese wouldn’t touch it with a pair of barge pole-length chopsticks. But after centuries as a breakfast food for Japanese diners with nerves of steel, natto is emerging as a global superfood to rival kimchi, kombucha and kefir.Its exact origins are unknown. Some believe it was introduced to Japan from China by Buddhist monks during the Yayoi period (300BC-AD300), before becoming a staple among rural communities during the Edo period (1603-1868). Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘We’re not going to back down’: tiny Dorset B&B stands up to Airbnb’s legal bid to ‘monopolise’ letters ‘bnb’
Three little letters - bnb-side’s name is a play on the local b-side arts festival, but Silicon Valley colossus sees threat to global brandIn one corner is bnb-side, a six-room bed and breakfast on the Isle of Portland – a tiny wedge of limestone tied by a narrow ribbon of shingle to the Dorset coast – that was created to help secure the future of the rock’s much-loved arts festival, b-side.On the other is Airbnb, the San Francisco-based booking colossus. The battle between them is over the three little letters they share. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK credit scores: should you worry about a big shake-up?
Your rating is vital when taking on debt, but you could be in for a surprise as a big player changes its rulesYour credit score is the magic number that helps lenders decide whether or not to approve a mortgage, loan or credit card application.Typically, the higher the number, the better your borrowing prospects. But a shake-up of the scoring system at TransUnion, one of the UK’s three main credit reference agencies, could mean a shock next time you log in. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
AI CEOs say they need to slow the pace of development. But will they?
After apocalyptic warnings about the threats posed by AI, leaders like Sam Altman and Elon Musk backed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s calls to ‘slow the pace’Facing a public uproar over Anthropic researchers’ repeated warnings that artificial intelligence could kill all of humanity by 2030, the AI company’s CEO, Dario Amodei, issued a proposal at the weekend to slow down the technology’s advancement to ensure public safety.In a rare display of unity, the heads of the largest US artificial intelligence companies all agreed immediately. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
A joyful harvest: the young Welsh farmers growing food for Birmingham
A charity in Powys provides the land while growers do the hard work, producing bumper crops for city childrenKilos and kilos of courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes and salad leaves are ripe and ready for picking on a small Welsh farm in the rural county of Powys.The haul being harvested by Tilly Gomersall is not just impressive after a difficult growing season hit by a record string of heatwaves and drought across all of Wales and most of England, but all the more remarkable given that 18 months ago the site was uncultivated pasture. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Mapped: the £150bn megaproject that aims to protect Britain from energy shocks
Thousands of miles of new power lines are needed to deliver climate targets and energy security, but bills will rise in the short term and opponents are mobilising Britain is embarking on one of the largest overhauls of its electricity grid in generations – a megaproject in which five times more infrastructure will be built by 2030 than was constructed during the previous three decades.Tens of billions of pounds are being spent on new pylons, subsea cables and converter stations to connect a growing fleet of wind and solar farms and carry clean power to where it is needed. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Can Europe recharge its battery industry?
Europe has some promising battery tech, but can it make up ground lost to Chinese battery giants?
bbc.co.uk
I asked my husband to pay into my pension when we had a child - here's why
Molly and Taylor Haylett explain the changes to how they managed their finances when they started a family.
bbc.co.uk
Why some experts increasingly fear AI will take over
AI agents went on an uncontrolled hacking spree, leaving some in the industry worried
bbc.co.uk
Should promotion depend on how workers use AI?
More companies are tying career progression to AI use: is that fair?
bbc.co.uk
'Tirana teeth': Albania hopes to be the new Turkey for dental work
The Balkan nation is aiming to become a new centre for medical tourism.
bbc.co.uk
Aviation faces hotter, stormier skies – and passengers might have to accept more disruption
Are people going to have to increasingly accept more delays and diversions as the effects of climate change intensify?
bbc.co.uk
Prosecco, cakes and beauty products - how to get birthday freebies and why there's a catch
Cake, coffee, make-up and burgers are just some of the free things you can get on your birthday.
bbc.co.uk
From 'dog fruit' to darling: India's avocado boom
Demand for avocados is booming in India and local growers hope to grab more of the market.
bbc.co.uk
Why wait? Business grads buying firms to install themselves as CEO
Impatient to be the boss of an established company they are borrowing money to fund their purchases.
bbc.co.uk
'My parents won't lend me £10k but helped my brother': When families play financial favourites
So-called financial favouritism can cause jealousy and resentment long into adulthood. Here is how experts say you can avoid it
bbc.co.uk
Why the UK is dithering over what to do about e-scooters
Why is it taking so long for the government to regulate them, and what are the consequences of delay?
bbc.co.uk
Why Gen Z are planning for life without a state pension
Many younger people do not believe the state pension will exist when they are older
bbc.co.uk
The furious dispute over what caused Air India flight 171 to crash
The final conclusions of the investigation have yet to be published, although more could become apparent in the coming days.
bbc.co.uk
How the High Street became a window on our political instability
High Streets have declined in recent years. What does this tell us about the UK?
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